Malaysia bans ‘blasphemous’ US metal band (video)

Malaysia has barred a planned performance by US metal band Lamb of God after Islamic officials accused the Grammy-nominated group’s work of being blasphemous.

Lamb of God had been scheduled to perform at a concert hall in Kuala Lumpur on September 28, but the communications and multimedia ministry said on September 4 it would not issue a permit because the performance could infringe on Malaysia’s “religious sensitivities and cultural values.”

The government-run department of Islamic development had said the group’s work could lead Muslims astray, partly because the band has been known to mix excerpts from the Quran with heavy metal music.

In addition, the promoter of the festival at which Lamb of God were to play also turned down the show because of death threats to the band.

The band expressed frustration because it believed authorities had not studied the content and meaning of its songs carefully enough. Some 1,500 tickets have already been sold in Malaysia. The band said it would continue with other shows in September in New Zealand, Australia and Thailand.

Lamb of God is an American metal band from Richmond, Virginia considered part of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal movement. Since its formation in 1990, Lamb of God has released 6 studio albums, 1 live album, 1 compilation album and three DVDs. The band’s cumulative sales equal almost 2 million in the US, it had 3 albums in the top 10 of the US charts and also received a Grammy nomination.

The controversial intro to the band’s album Killadelphia using Quran excerpts:

Malaysia has barred a planned performance by US metal band Lamb of God after Islamic officials accused the Grammy-nominated group’s work of being blasphemous.

Lamb of God had been scheduled to perform at a concert hall in Kuala Lumpur on September 28, but the communications and multimedia ministry said on September 4 it would not issue a permit because the performance could infringe on Malaysia’s “religious sensitivities and cultural values.”

The government-run department of Islamic development had said the group’s work could lead Muslims astray, partly because the band has been known to mix excerpts from the Quran with heavy metal music.

In addition, the promoter of the festival at which Lamb of God were to play also turned down the show because of death threats to the band.

The band expressed frustration because it believed authorities had not studied the content and meaning of its songs carefully enough. Some 1,500 tickets have already been sold in Malaysia. The band said it would continue with other shows in September in New Zealand, Australia and Thailand.

Lamb of God is an American metal band from Richmond, Virginia considered part of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal movement. Since its formation in 1990, Lamb of God has released 6 studio albums, 1 live album, 1 compilation album and three DVDs. The band’s cumulative sales equal almost 2 million in the US, it had 3 albums in the top 10 of the US charts and also received a Grammy nomination.

The controversial intro to the band’s album Killadelphia using Quran excerpts: